XM Satellite Radio came under scrutiny of House Commerce Committe...
XM Satellite Radio came under scrutiny of House Commerce Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.), who told FCC Chmn. Powell he had concerns that XM was pursuing permanent licenses for terrestrial repeaters and wanted Commission to find out what XM’s business…
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plan was for repeaters. In June 9 letter that was co-signed by Committee member Rep. Green (D-Tex.), Tauzin said permanent repeaters could allow XM to provide localized content, “an activity that the Commission has previously indicated should be prohibited.” Letter said concern with permanent licenses had increased with recent announcement that XM would offer localized weather programming to marine, aviation and emergency subscribers. “It is clear that nothing now stops XM from taking this a step further and offering local programming in the terrestrial radio market to hundreds of thousands of automobile subscribers,” letter said. Final licenses for repeaters should prohibit devices from being used to broadcast localized programming, it said. “Given this latest expansion into localized programming, we believe that the Commission must guard against the possibility of XM eventually trying to skirt the intent of the Commission, should it determine XM cannot offer localized programming through repeater networks,” letter said. Tauzin said FCC should require XM to disclose its business and technology plans for offering localized programming to learn what it planned for repeaters. “This knowledge is necessary for the Commission to make a fully informed final license decision,” Tauzin said. XM Vp-Corp. Affairs Chance Patters said its weather service was national service for marine, aviation and emergency management usage and XM provided all of its service in accordance with FCC regulations.